Sacrifice Breeds Hate
by random716
Summary: Hate. She never knew it, she never wanted it. One sacrifice let her know how it felt. She knew better than to act on it. She never knew how powerful hate is and she never would've guess it was more powerful than the love she claimed to have for him. (I don't think this is a love story)
1. Prologue: Unfamiliar

**Sacrifice Breeds Hate**

 _random716_

* * *

 **Preview :** _Hate._ She never knew it, she never want it. One sacrifice let her know how it felt. She knew better than to act on it. She never knew how powerful hate is and she never would've guess it was more powerful than the love she claimed to have for him.

 **A/N:** I don't think this is a love story

 **Warnings:** Probably a boring story since I don't have pairings in mind. Although strongly suggest NejiHina (you decide if that suggest romantic or not). Probably angsty, hateful, eemotional and very downer.

 **Rate:** T, for now since I have mentioned I still don't have pairings. I'm a prude (and a perv at the same time) to carry out a smut (without a nosebleed).

Plus I such at gory details (although I very much like them),and I am too lame to be doing violence.

 **Disclaimer: I am not secretly Masahi Kishimoto. Naruto is not mine since I'm making a fanfiction about it. But if it is mine, it will be likely to be a shoujo manga and Hinata will be caught in a reverse-harem situation.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **Unfamiliar**

She looked at the moon in the sky. It illuminates the night just right. She exhaled and sat to put the flowers she brought. She looked at the sturdy stone and got back on her feet.

 _It was what I felt,_ she thought to herself. Something in those words just doesn't feel right. She exhaled, and lied a little better to herself. _It was the truth._ She smiled. It was a bitter one. It felt foolish to lie to oneself and force yourself to believe it too. But recently, that's what she had been doing. She was starting to feel like she believes in it. However, as nice as it felt to just believe in thse words, she knew deep inside she didn't.

Just like wheyou're asleep and you're aware that everything is just a dream? But everything is just wonderful and allow yourself to indulge to that because it feels better, knowing nothing is real.

 **But..**

She looked at the embedded name in the stone.

 _ **Hyuuga Neji.**_

Her vision is getting blurry and it's just a too familiar situation. Tears weakly blocked her vision.

 _The words I said was the truth,_ she told herself.

 _ **"Your life is not yours alone anymore,"**_ her, _his_ words echoed in her mind.

 _No, those are the words that he needed to hear,_ a more honest part of her brain said.

She needed Naruto to hear that. _So he can win and save the world Nii-san died to protect._ Naruto **needed** to hear those words.

 **This** , she knew deep in her heart it was true.

And the realization hurts. She _thought_ that her love for Naruto is not superficial to easily be replaced. She _thought_ she loved him unconditionally. She _thought_ her feelings were deep.

So why does she feel a flicker of hate in her heart, directing towards Naruto? Naruto, who she swore she loved deeply. For too long? For too much? Oh, in Kami's name, she didn't want to hate Naruto. She swore she didn't want this.

"I'm sorry, Nii-san," she cried on his grave. "I am a horrible person," she said, kneeling to the stone that wrote Neji's name.

There was a heavy feeling in her heart and a lump in her throat that was uncomfortable.

 _ **"Don't cry,"**_ Neji's face flashed in her mind, _ **"I hate when I see you cry,"**_ he said gently and her heart was momentarily happy for this illusion her mind gave her, _**"Someone so kind like you shouldn't cry,"**_

If it was possible, she cried harder as she fell in her knees on his grave. Those words he said, it was not true. She was not kind. Maybe at that moment it was true.

But right now, maybe her Neji-nii-san will handle it better seeing her cry right now. Because at the moment, she was not the kind person he talked about in that memory. How can a kind person feel hate towards the person who saved almost everyone in the Fourth Ninja War? Her hands covered her wet face.

It was those two evil Uchiha's fault. But they're dead. They already paid the price of their actions.

Maybe it was Naruto's fault for not being strong enough to defend himself?

Or it was the Hyuuga Clan? The clan made it Neji's duty to protect her.

But maybe it was her fault. Because she mindlessly thought she could give away her life to save Naruto.

She doesn't know anymore. Her mind is a mess. Illogical. Shallow.

The wind blew which made her notice that it's almost dawn and she had to come back to the compound before anyone notice she was gone.

* * *

It's been two months since the Fourth Ninja War ended. It has been two months since _he_ became the hero who saved the hero who lived. Also, it hd been two months since _**he**_ died.

But Hinata's heart knew nothing of the time that had passed. The pain of his death is still fresh in her heart.

Lying in her bed she figured she had barely two hours to rest. She just hopes that her eyes won't give her away. It even if it did, she wished they wouldn't say anything about it. _Just like they usually do._


	2. Chapter I: Helpless

**Sacrifice Breeds Hate**

 _random716_

 **Chapter I**

 **Helpless**

* * *

" _Ohayo_!" Hinata greeted her teammates with a smile that was so forced and fake it almost made her cheeks hurt.

Kiba briefly looked at Shino and Kurenai-sensei worriedly before smiling brightly and wave at her yelling," _Ohayo_ , Hinata!" Akamaru also barked happily at her.

When she was close enough, she smiled brightly to her two friends and gently pet Akamaru. Kurenai-sensei swiftly gave her a once over and then at the two boys, "Hai, let's start training," she said. "Hinata, you train your taijutsu with Kiba as Shino is working on his ninjutsu today,"

"Hai, Sensei," the three of them answered.

...

Kiba, as expected, was holding back fighting with her. For some reason, it influriates her insides.

"Kiba-kun, please don't hold back for me," she said.

"I'm not holding back," he answered.

Her teammates, though she knows they respect and trusts her as a kunoichi, they can't help but feel the need to protect her. They treat her like a sister. Kiba is the protective and prankster brother while Shino is the mature and sensible one. She loves both of them for tha but sometimes it annoyed her. _Sometimes_ , like this time.

They know she's strong but she have gone stronger since the last time she trained with them. After Naruto left town to train with Master Jiraiya, her trainings with her team falter for she started training Hyuuga style in the compound, with Neji as her training partner.

It was beneficial to her because although from the Branch family, her Neji-nii-san had the highest potential in the clan.

She thought it was unfair for Neji because her genius of a cousin couldn't possibly learn anything training with her.

It was only for her gain. Another duty bestowed to him where he could gain nothing in return but she got everything to gain. In the service of the Head family.

Her Neji-nii-san had helped her a lot and she's thankful. But the way the Head family use the Branch family only for their gain it was unjust and neither one of them could do something about it. Upon this realization, the Hyuuga Tradition and system started making her feel.. She can't name it, but it was was negative feeling she wasn't used to feel.

"Yes," she said, gripping Kiba's hand tightly, "You," still holding him, she jumped, as she did, she took his other arm, "Are," she landed her two feet in his back, kicking him in the process. He was pinned to the ground.

Akamaru barked worriedly making her snap back to her current environment. "Hinata?" Kiba called to her and she loosened her grip on him and let him go.

" _G-gomen_ ," she said when he was on his feet, bowing to him.

"Are you alright, Hinata?" Kurenai-sensei called as she and Shino walks to her and Kiba.

 _Why is she asking me? I was the one who almost hurt Kiba-kun._

Still, she nodded her head to her sensei and then turned back to Kiba. "Gomenasai, Kiba-kun, I was spacing out," she said apologetically and bowed.

He steadied her shoulder from her bow and then looked at her with concern, "Hey, are you okay?" Kiba asked her.

 _Why is everybody asking me that,_ she thought bitterly. "I'm-"

 _ **"Oii!"**_ another voice called out which made Team Kurenai look to where that familiar voice came from.

 _It's Naruto-kun_. She knew even before seeing him. When her eyes went to his direction, she noticed Sakura-chan and Sai-kun is with him, as well as.. She almost didn't recognize him, Uchiha Sasuke.

Bitterness clogged her throat as the family name crossed her mind. _Uchiha_. A clan cursed by overflowing hate.

Kiba waved at them as she automatically walked behind her canine friend.

"Training already, eh?" Naruto inquired as he energetically closed in on them.

"Yeah, first training session since, eh," she felt Kiba's gaze on her. "The war,"

All eyes found her and she felt the need to explain which her mouth automatically did, "A-ano, the family was required to stop daily routines as respect to a.." as she looked for a fitting word, she realized she was still doing it. Her index fingers tapping each other as a nervous gesture, ".. _fallen_ clan members," she finished saying, not looking anyone.

She knew her father grew fond of her Neji-nii-san and used that excuse for the stubborn elders to agree. Shino, Kiba and Kurenai-sensei notice that her index fingers stopped tapping each other and pressed on to each other with strong pressure. But she herself failed to notice it as the four non-team member didn't.

" _Ahh_ ," Naruto said, absorbing the information. Kiba and Sakura nodded once, uncomfortably. Shino stayed still with his hands on his pocket. Sasuke stood with indifference. Kurenai-sensei looked at her, barely masking the worry she felt.

"Neji-nii-san was part of the Branch family so initially, the.." again, she chose her words carefully, "..mourning should just be for a.." she swallowed hard, feeling of injustice flooded her, "..day only." she said, "But father extended the mourning up to a month since Nii-san.. Have fallen as a war hero," she finished quietly.

She knew her teammates want to ask why she didn't leave the compound for two months when the mourning was only for a month. She didn't want to answer that. She wanted her teammates to continue not making her feel vulnerable by asking questions. And she hope Team 7 would do it too. She prayed no one ask her that.

She thought she was good almost all her life that she thought her prayers now will be answered. But maybe being a horrible person that she is recently, took it's toll on Kami's decision to answer her prayers because she heard the ever-sensitive Sai asked, "How come you hid inside your compound for two months?"

Naruto looked panicked. Sakura has an annoyed breed with he-is-hopeless look. Sasuke looked indifferent though he's watching everything vigilantly. Kurenai exhaled softly placing a hand in her forehead, shaking her head. Shino has a slight furrow of his brows. Kiba openly glared at Sai.

A rush and brief moment of unfamiliar feelings of annoyance passed by Hinata but she banished it from her head as soon as it came.

Like a psychopath, something automatically switched in her as she reverted back to her usual self, "A-ano," she stuttered characteristically. "Tou-san w-wanted me t-to help out w-with.." she diverted her eyes away from them as she came up with a lie, "..s-something c-clan related,"

She knew she was a terrible liar. And she knew that every ear that heard her today knew she was lying.

Sai was about to open his mouth when Naruto casually and _accidentally_ hit the dark haired boy's head in the process of resting both his hands at the back of head. "Gomen, Sai-teme"

Sakura looked panicked and annoyed as she pulled Sai's arm when she saw the latter is opening his mouth once again. "I think we should go," she said, looking at Naruto who picked it up easily.

After Team 7 left, when Kurenai-sensei broke the silence saying, "Alright kids, get back on your trainings,"

They silently complied.

* * *

"Ah, training is good, but man, it tired me out!" Kiba muttered as he was stretching his arms.

He understood Hinata's silent agreement as he saw the contented look and smile on her face.

"Great work, team. I apologize for running out early but I need to be somewhere in a few minutes," Kurenai-sensei said and before anyone could actually say something, she vanished in a poof of smoke.

" _Aah_ ," Kiba awkwardly said as he eyed the remaining smoke from their sensei's departure. "I think I wanna grab some ramen to Itchiraku," he said thoughtfully, "What 'cha guys say?"

"I agree." Shino said characteristically stoic, "Why? Because after training, we need to replenish our energy,"

Kiba had his usual brief look of annoyance to upon hearing Shino with his why-because nonsense of his then looked at their muse, "Hinata?"

"I-I'm sorry, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, I-I need to be s-somewhere tonight," she stuttered, looking anywhere but their eyes. "Maybe next time, eh?" this time, she looked at both boys and smiled.

"O-okay," Kiba doubtfully agreed.

"I guess it can't be helped." Shino says, "Why? Because it is a prior commitment,"

Hinata smiled again she petted Akamaru then bid her goodbye.

* * *

"She's starting to worry me," Kiba said then put a piece of meat in his mouth, "I mean, more than usual," he said as soon as he swallowed his food.

Shino was quiet for a moment before answering, "I'd normally regard that statement as you being overprotective," he says, "But, seeing her as she is now, I suppose I could say the same. Why? Because she's there's something different." he said quietly.

Kiba exhaled loudly, "I'm sure this is about Neji, is it?"

His friend stayed silent, "Do you recall seeing her cry at his funeral?" he asked.

The canine boy's chopsticks stopped midway to his mouth, "No," clearly remembering that she didn't. She just stood there, not moving. Her eyes almost bore a hole in her cousin's gravestone. She looked sad, lonely and down. But there were no tears. "Do you think that's why?" he asked.

Characteristically, his friend took his time answering, "Could be. Why? Because she adored Neji since they were children," he said, adjusting his Aburame glasses, "But I don't think that's the whole story. Why? Because Hinata can handle death, her bodyguard, Kō, died in a mission before the war. And she handled it perfectly,"

They both know for sure that Kō is one of the few people that stood by Hinata since childhood, where not her Father, sister or even Neji thought that she was worthy to be a Hyuuga. She was very fond of the man and even considered him a big brother. She told them that Kō didn't treat her as "another duty for a Branch family member" like himself. He treated her like how big brothers treat their little sister. Like how her relationship with Neji became, eventually.

"Aah, you're right," Kiba frustratedly agreed, "But what could be different this time?"

The two boys are in a deep and serious conversation that they didn't recognize the chakra of the new people that went in Konoha's favorite food place, "What do you mean by 'something different'?" both looked back and saw a familiar kunouchi.

"Oh, hey, Tenten!" Kiba greeted with his usual smile that exposes his canine teeth. Behind her, there's her teammate Lee with InoShikaChou.

"Is there something wrong with Hinata-chan?" Ino inquired, both by curiosity and worry.

Though no one would say it out loud, they all know that Hyuuga Hinata is the most gentle ninja of their generation. She is also the kindest. Everyone understood why Kiba and Shino is protective of her. As their sensei, Kurenai; and then there's Neji. So it kind of bothered them that someone as fragile as her is facing some serious dilemma.

The two boys who were conversing privately looked at each other, wondering if they should let their friends meddle with this. But before they could decide for themselves, chances made them prolong the decision.

"Shino, Kiba, quickly, come," it was Kurenai-sensei. She had a stoic face but in the eyes of her students, she barely hid the distress in her movements.

Without a word to their friends they stood and left money on the counter.

They heard their friends' concerned faint voices.

* * *

"Where are we going, Kurenai-sensei?" Kiba asked.

"To the cemetery," Shino answered, "How do I know that? Because there's no other place to head to in this way,"

Kiba looked at their sensei who nodded to confirm. "I was going to leave flowers on Asuma's grave when I.." the older lady stopped on a thick tree branch as did the boys who are on her tail. She motioned to something in front of them.

The two boys' hearts almost broke seeing the scene before them unfold. They both turned to look at their sensei who just exhaled and sadly look away.

Hinata, their gentle, fragile and once happy comrade looks so _broken_.. So _vulnerable_..

She's on Neji's grave. She was holding his gravestone tightly her knuckles are almost white.

She was murmuring words they they couldn't quite decipher.

 _ **"..—sorry.. —son.. —trying.. helpi—.."**_ are the only sounds they made out. Her words are muffled by her hands, her tears, sobs and hiccups,

They wanted to be there for her but they also didn't want to disturb her moment.

So with a heavy heart, and a little bit relieved that they can't see her like that, they left her be.

* * *

Kiba is looking at his ceiling trying to sleep. What he saw earlier was not easy to see.

Sure, Hinata is kinda the type who sulks over little things; but she never cried like that. Never that hard. _Never that out of control._

Though they never really talk about it out loud, Kiba knew that Shino feels the the way he feels towards Hinata: she's like a little sister that they want—no, they _need_ to protect. Actually, Hinata had an effect like that to people.

Even Shino who has that stoic mask to every single emotion, cracked just enough for Kiba to decipher what he felt at that time. It was exactly what he was feeling seeing the scene before them: **useless**.

Kiba then wondered how Hinata and Neji became that close. Yeah, he noticed it before but he never got to see how that happened. He just woke up one day knowing this bond Hinata and Neji shares is normal.

—

Shino is lying on his bed. It was unusual that he was finding a hard time to sleep. Being born in the Aburame clan, his body learned to adapt to nature. Usually, when his Kikachus are asleep, he'll be able to sleep with ease.

However, tonight is one of the few nights that he was having a hard time sleeping.

Shino Aburame may not be a man very good with words, but he treasure the friendship he had established. That's why he took it hard when Naruto failed to recognize him after training out of the village for two years.

Two of the friendship he most treasured are with Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuga Hinata. The three of them unusually found harmony in their team which he never thought at the moment they were introduced.

Kiba is annoying and loud, given he's from a clan whom trains animals, he is instinctive and impulsive, quite the opposite of him. Normally, the two of them would clash, but Hinata is strategically put in their team to balance them.

Hinata is a shy and quiet girl, he'd more likely to be in sync with her attitude. Although she's not much of a talker, she loved listening to Kiba's stories and jokes and his outgoing personality.

Both boys grew fond of the girl for the littlest things she does for them: pack them bento boxes, give them her clan's secret balm, attends to their injuries (with almost tears in her eyes), comes up with a compromise to settle their petty arguments..

Before they know it, Shino and Kiba both adapted another instinct: **to protect Hinata**. And as far as he knows, he lived up to that.

Although tonight proved that they can't protect her from everything. And she won't even let them know. As he noticed earlier, tonight is not just another night, because tonight, Shino Aburame found himself helpless and restless.

* * *

Kiba and Shino woke up early the next day, not feeling recharged at all.

It was still early, dawn is just about to break. As tired as both of them feel, it was natural to their bodies to wake up as soon as nature did.

Although neither one of them planned it out, both ended up going to Konoha's Graveyard. Both were startled to see each other when they stopped on a two facing thick branches.

Neither said a word but both looked down to Neji's grave and calmly jump there.

Kiba paused as did Shino. They can feel Hinata's lingering chakra.

Kiba cursed under his breath as Akamaru whimpered. "She just left, just almost thirty minutes," he said out loud, though both of them knew that, "What's wrong with her?" he wondered, "Why don't she tell us?"

Shino stayed still, his eyes found the flowers in the gravestone, Forget-me-not's. It has drops of water in it. _**It didn't rain last night.**_

 _Had she cried here all night?_

 **But why?**

* * *

It is more painful, Kiba decided. Seeing Hinata now makes it more painful. Seeing her cheery and her usual self. Like last night didn't happen. Like she didn't cry _literally_ all night.

"Are you okay, Hinata?"

She smiled and nodded her head.

It made him think _maybe_ , last night was just a dream.

* * *

"Awesome!" Kiba exclaimed as soon as Hinata gave out the bento boxes from her backpack. "Thanks, Hinata!"

"I'd say the same thing," Shino said, "I give you my thanks, Hinata,"

Rolling his eyes towards Shino, Kiba called, " _Ittadakimasu_!"

Hinata smiled and petted Akamaru. "And here's for you Akamaru-kun." she then brought out a piece of cloth and poured out some dog pellets.

When she thought everyone was busy with their food, Hinata found herself sitting and leaning to a training log, looking nowhere and was lost in her thoughts.

With her mind racing like a horse, added to the fact that she only had a wink of sleep last night, her eyes grew tired and before she comprehend what was happening, she fell into a shallow sleep.

The small jutsu she placed on her physical self to hide her swollen and bagged eyes slowly fade away.

* * *

Akamaru's whimper took Kiba and Shino's attention. The three of them saw Hinata sleeping in the foot of a training log.

Kiba was overwhelmed by worry, "I knew I shouldn't have convinced myself that last night was just a dr—a nightmare."

"But it was easier since she's not saying anything. And we can't do anything," Shino said.

Kiba's eyes grew wider with the words that Shino said. It was so _unShino_. But this is also _unHinata_. He sighed. "What are we gonna do with her?"

"I.." for the first time, Shino was lost with words. Eventually, both boys just sighed.

"I wish Kurenai-sensei is here," Kiba muttered, almost half-consciously.

Their second favorite kunoichi is out for a mission. Kurenai-sensei got to say goodbye this morning before they started training. It was not like they couldn't train on their own, in fact their genin team should've been disbanded since the three of them are all chunin now; training together is just a thing they do as an excuse to be in each other's company.

"I hope for the same," Shino said, "Why? Because she's more mature, she also have handled death, too and she's a woman,"

For once, Kiba didn't had a nonverbal respond to Shino's why-because response. "Might as well don't make her look like an idiot.. As much as she is," Shino watched as Kiba and Akamaru walked to their favorite kunoichi and sat next to her as did his favorite companion.

Kiba didn't expect it when Shino moved and made himself comfortable on her other side. Both boys leaned to the log and maybe because of last night's lack of sleep, they easily fell asleep.

* * *

Kiba was in shallow sleep when, "Kiba," someone lightly shook him, "Hey, Kiba," he opened his eyes and groggily saw Tenten in front of him.

He stretched as he yawned away the sleepiness.

"It's not youthful to sleep on such a beautiful day!" Lee exclaimed.

Then Kiba remembered something. He looked beside him and saw no one there, before he voiced out anything, he heard Shino's voice, "She was gone the moment I opened my eyes. I think she placed us under a genjutsu," he said, "Why? Because I should have known it was strange that we both fell asleep right away. Even though we both had a long night,"

"Oh, Kami, don't tell me you guys..?" Tenten exclaimed scandalously with tinted cheeks.

Both boys doesn't have a clue to what the kunoichi is saying.

"As much as it's not my business, both of you are shinobis, but using your youth energy for each other is not advisable. I'd suggest you use them for training" Lee yelled.

"No wonder Hina-chan would leave you be," Tenten said, "Ah, this also explains last night," she whispered to herself but everyone heard her.

"Youthful dates should not interfere with your trainings!" Lee said.

" **WHAT!?** " Kiba exclaimed as Shino stayed silent then shook his head and again, adjusting his glasses.

"That would be an incorrect assumption, Tenten, Lee." Shino said in his usual monotone.

"We were er—" Kiba looked at Shino silently asking of they should tell them, "—looking out last night,"

" _Looking out_? What's that supposed to mean?" Tenten asked.

Shino sighed softly and adjusted his glasses, "I guess it can't be helped." he looked at Kiba. "We were looking out for Hinata," he says, "Why? Because she worries us too much,"

"And more so after last night," Kiba whispered more to himself.

"What's wrong with Hinata-chan?" Lee asked, "What happened last night?"

Kiba looked surprised hearing Lee inquired about that. He muttered those words to himself and wasn't aware that he actually said it out. "Ah?" he waved his hands dismissively and said, "Nah, don't worry about it, we can handle it,"

 _I hope._

* * *

Sorry. Angst just gives me a rush. And I hate that it needs deep story to have.

I am taking my time writing this fic and it takes a lot of effort since I am soooo lazy and not updated with neither the anime nor the manga.

Please motivate me.

Thank you for taking the time read this.


	3. Chapter II: Alone

**Sacrifice Breeds Hate**

 _random716_

 **Chapter II**

 **Alone**

* * *

Kakashi looked at the scroll he was holding and exhaled, shaking his head very slightly. Apparently, the sixth hokage can still be surprised.

Not that he doubts the girl's ability, but of all the shinobi of their class, she was the most gentle and was less likely to be accustomed to an ANBU's dark and most likely underground missions. And as far as Kakashi can tell, Hinata is the type to wear her heart on her sleeves.

A light knock disturbed his line of thought, "It's Hyuuga Hinata, Hokage-sama," a voice called out.

"It's open," he said.

The door opened and an ANBU is standing right beside the female Hyuuga. He looked at the ANBU and dismissed him by nodding.

"You called for me, Kakashi-se-sama?"

" _Ahh_ , Hinata-chan,"

The girl just looked at him, waiting.

Kakashi took his time and just watched the girl.

"Is this about.." she eyed the scroll he was holding, "..my application?"

" _Ahh,_ " the hokage responded. "I believe it is," he said, "Are you certain about this?" he asked.

Hinata looked at the hokage and the man doesn't know what to think seeing the blank look in the girl's eyes. It was _different_.

"Hai." she answered. "I am certain about this."

The hokage did nothing but to blink in surprise with this peculiar attitude from the Hyuuga heiress. Her voice was in its usual soft and calm tone, and he can't pinpoint how but it sounded uncharacteristically cold and harsh.

"If you don't need anything else, may I take my leave, Sir?" again, the hokage blinked in surprise with the peculiar attitude, he semi-consciously nodded and watched the girl politely bowed before taking her leave.

* * *

Hinata was half-horrified realizing three minutes later that she just talked back to the Rokudaime Hokage; but the other half of her honestly doesn't give a rusted kunai about it.

Because, how dare him-even though he is the hokage-to question her abilities to join the ANBU squad? Hadn't she proved enough?

She exhaled. Her head keeps saying and reasoning with her but another part of her mind was in the dark and kept feeling bad about the tiniest things that happened to her. She was always conscious to not to make the ugly things she felt visible to others. But lately she is finding hard to do that.

It was different. She felt different. It was like she was a third person watching her body live every day. She felt numb, lifeless and soul-less. But she doesn't wanna dwell on it. Because she knows that if she forced herself to feel something, she'll end up feeling ugly things.

" _Oiii_!" her thoughts was disrupted with that familiar cheery voice, "Hinata-chan!" she looked back and was disturbed with the lack of happiness her heart used to feel before when she sees this blond. Hinata stopped walking and watched Naruto as he asked her "Where are you heading?" She just looked at the boy as he rested his hands on his knees, catching his breath. "Well?"

She was distracted with her lack of usual reaction to this certain boy and the presence of _different_ feelings in place of those former emotions. "Hey, Hinata-chan, are you okay?"

Hinata woke from her trance as she felt a hand on her forehead; instantly, she slapped his hand away saying, "Don't touch me!"

Naruto was looking at his hand, shocked but was quick to apologize. "Gomen, Hinata-chan, I was just-" he looked at Hinata and was distracted and confused seeing her shocked expression.

"I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun!" and then dashed out of sight.

Naruto was too shocked to follow her on time.

* * *

 _This is getting out of control,_ she thought. Hinata looked at herself in the mirror, seeing a familiar, yet unfamiliar face.

 _Nii-san, help me,_ she thought as she looked helplessly at herself. _What happened to me? I don't want this. Why can't everything be back to normal?_

 _I'm hopeless,_ she shook her head, laughing at herself. Why was she asking herself those questions? She knows why. Simply because _he's gone,_ and will never come back. Everything will _never_ be the same again.

* * *

"Ah, finally some time off! A nice long nap sound so good right now," Sakura said while stretching her shoulders.

"You sound like an old man, Forehead," Ino commented, "But, I can't blame you, the hospital had been so busy lately!"

"— _on, Kiba!_ " the two medic's eyes met hearing the familiar voice of the hyperactive blond hero, and their brows met because of confusion hearing the weird edge on the blond's voice.

"I said drop it, Naruto," again, the two girls' eyes met each other's confused eyes. Sure, Kiba and Naruto usually banters when they meet but Kiba sounded so pissed and this argument doesn't sound so playful like the usual.

"Hey, guys, is everything alright?" Ino decided to interrupt.

Kiba looks like he's still fuming and so does Naruto-which is so out of character, she expected to see them act nonchalant and brush it off and have their usual cheesy grins. But no, they remained hostile.

"Hey," Sakura said, starting to feel a little disturbed, "What's wrong, guys?"

"Nothing," Kiba said, still hostile, "It's just Naruto can't keep his nose off of other people's business." he said, "And I'm not in the mood for him."

"That's enough, Kiba," all eyes found the owner of the voice, it was Shino. "Why? Because you're making a scene." he adjusted his sunglasses and continued, "And we both know we don't need that."

Sakura looked at the two former members of the Team 8 and just realized both boys look a bit tired.

"Hey, are you two okay?" she asked Shino and Kiba.

Kiba remained silent as Shino vaguely nodded.

"Are you guys okay?" Ino said, "You both look tired."

Sakura nodded in confirmation, "Is everything okay?" then she poured her blonde male friend a look, "You too. You look awful." she said.

"Is this about Hinata-chan?" Ino said, noticing who are the people involved. "Is she okay? Did something happen?"

Three boys stayed quiet.

* * *

"Do you think Nee-sama is acting a bit weird, Kou-san?" on the quiet afternoon, while sipping her tea, Hanabi questioned.

They are seated on the wooden floor facing the fountain at the back of their home. The guy in question looked at her young heiress a tad bit surprised. Honestly, Kou may have an idea to what Hanabi is saying. Lady Hinata is changing, subtly and by bits, but she is indeed changing. But instead, his response was, "Why do you ask, Lady Hanabi?"

The younger Hyuuga sighed softly, "I don't know.." she said vaguely, "I just feel like she's too far away. She's always there but I feel like she had never been more distant-even when the time we had a gap." Kou remained quiet, absorbing the information, "I don't know, but I feel like Nee-sama is in a dark place right now."

Kou exhaled and chuckled a bit, he felt that Hanabi grew up right before his eyes. Her words were mature and deep. "You're right, Hanabi-sama, Hinata-sama is acting a bit out of character lately. And I can't pinpoint when and how did it happened but she did."

Hanabi closed her eyes and exhaled, "You don't suppose this is still about Uzumaki Naruto?"

Kou didn't think so, but he remained silent to let the younger heiress know he's considering. A moment passed before he shook his head no. "No," he closed his eyes considering whether he should say more. "I believe that's not the case," he added, deciding not to add his input, _no, it would sound too far-fetched._

"You don't suppose this is about Neji-nii-san, do you?"

To say Kou was caught off guard is an understatement. He looked at his lady and she had a ghost of a smirk on her face.

Yes, he thought this is about Neji-san but he wouldn't voice that out loud. Kou is a lot of things but he is not one to make a fool out of himself. He knew that if he says things that he thought he saw between Hinata-sama and Neji-san, he would look foolish and petty.

"You saw things more clearly, didn't you, Kou-san?" she said with that faint smile. Hanabi closed her eyes and fall on her back to lie rather unlady-like on the wooden floor.

Kou looked at Hanabi and not for the first time today, he realized that Hanabi indeed grew more mature ovetime.

"It was like the wind, it was subtle and unremarkable but it was needed," still with her eyes closed, she spoke again.

Kou wondered what Hanabi is pertaining to but decided against questioning it.

Hanabi's head played back memories that she can't decide if she wanted to erase or remember.

 _Some time ago in a Hyuuga clan meeting.._

Hanabi is just a child therefore no one can blame her if she was in a "physically present and mentally doesn't wanna be here" state in a boring clan meeting filled with old geezers. If she was with her normal schedule, she'd guess that training is over and the whole team must be on the way to get some dangos.

"You will not decide those things for Hinata-sama!" it was Neji's booming voice that snapped Hanabi back to the clan meeting. Her eyes saw Neji-nii-san's temples almost activating his byakugan and then looked to her sister to try to understand what was going on. But her sister gave nothing away. She just looked distracted and a little worried.

"Neji," her father said, though it may have sounded a warning, Hanabi knew the difference that her father is pacifying her enraged cousin. _How long did I tune them out?_ "Hideki, evaluate your point,"

Hideki smiled and it looks disgusting. "Well, you see, Hiashi-sama, as we all know, Hinata-sama is the next in line to be clan head. But we, the elders, believe that Hinata-sama will less likely to have strong byakugan-using heirs if she—"

"—you disrespectful—" Neji hissed under his breath but Hanabi saw her sister pulled their cousin's sleeve which did ease him a bit, but not quite if his piercing stare is to be based.

Hideki gave Neji a dirty glare and continued as if he was not interrupted "—is to marry outside of the clan, thus we suggest marriage within the clan. This will be beneficial to the clan in the future."

 _What the..?_

"I suggest my nephew, Hajime as Hinata-sama's betrothed." another elder, Haruka said.

"In that regard, I would like to recommend my son, Hiroshi."

 _Are they serious?_ Hanabi looked at her sister and saw how Hinata is looking determined and defeated at the same time. _Nee-sama.._ Her eyes then travelled to her sister's hands which are still clinging to Neji's sleeve. She looked at Neji's face and saw it was stoic and yet maybe because he's her cousin she saw how his jaw is clenched so tightly and his byakugan almost activating while he's looking at Hideki murderously.

"Are we not to hear what my daughter is to say about this?" at last, her father said.

White eyes were focused on Hinata and Hanabi felt proud when her sister didn't shrink away from the stares. She had her eyes looking focused and determined.

"First.. I.." she said, looking at Hanabi. The younger heiress felt a weird skip on her heart by the weird sad smile her sister gave her. _What is she about to say?_ Hinata exhaled and looked at the elders, "I refuse to have my sister marked as a caged bird. I am withdrawing as the heiress of Hyuuga clan." a collective gasp is heard but her sister stood her ground, she never flinched or broke eye contact.

"Absurd!" an elder exclaimed.

A burst of murmur is heard from the old people in the room.

"Still, if Hanabi-sama is to be the clan head, she is still young and we have to wait for longer for her to produce an heir." Hideki reasoned.

Hanabi almost hissed at the old man.

Silence engulfed the room. It was broken when Hinata sighed. Everyone looked at the heiress. It was considered rude to sigh in the Hyuuga household.

Hinata dismissed the stares, "The Hokage will be announcing this in a few days so it wouldn't hurt to say this now." she muttered as if she's talking to herself. She looked at Neji who nodded his head. "A war is approaching not just Konoha, but the whole shinobi nation."

A round of silence once again engulfs the room before gasps and murmur is heard from the people inside.

"What are you saying Hinata-sama?"

"Have she gone insane?"

"What is she talking about?"

"She's not serious, is she?"

"Silence!" the Hyuuga Clan head said, making everyone shut their mouths. He looked at his eldest and asked, "Hinata, elaborate your words."

Hinata nodded, "As you all know, Neji-nii-sama and I are part of the Konoha 12; and being in that circle, we had the privilege to know these kinds of news." she said, "Naruto-kun knew of the information from the Akatsuki and have relied the message to the Hokage and our group to be ready for it."

"The Hokage told us that she is to schedule the announcement to keep the peace a little longer and to not cause panic among civilians." Neji said.

Seems everyone was absorbing the information.

"Truth or not, we are making a plan for the Hyuuga clan." Haruka said, " _If_ there really is a war ahead, we are to make a deal to secure the Hyuuga clan."

"I suggest Hinata-sama will be relived from participating in the war." Hideki said.

" **No.** " Hinata said with finality, "I will participate on this war with all my might and will not hesitate to give my life away for my comrades." she continued. "And nothing you say will make me change my mind about it. This is my nindo."

Hanabi felt the familiar awestruck feeling seeing her sister say such things. Seeing the elders was taken back with her sister's sudden out burst and even her father look a little amazed with the display of determination.

"But Hinata-sama, we are to secure the Hyuuga Clan's interest after this supposed war." one elder reason.

"Don't you think winning this war is more important than the interest of the Hyuuga Clan?" Hinata countered, "If we are to lose this war, there will be no future to secure for the Hyuuga Clan, or Konoha even the whole shinobi world."

Once again, that left the elders speechless and her father with a glint of pride in his eyes.

"Hinata-sama, we—"

"But as to satisfy your worries, I would like to suggest that Hanabi-chan to be relieve in participating in the approaching war." hearing that, Hanabi was about to say something but her sister gave a look that suggest otherwise. "She is to be kept safe from the war." Her sister poured her a glance and looked quite apologetic, "And she is to bear the future of the clan if ever I don't survive." Hinata paused, letting them absorb the information, "But if I am to survive, I will assume the clan head position and will bear a pure blooded Hyuuga Clan's heir."

 _Wait, is she saying that if she is to survive the war, she is agreeing to marry a Hyuuga as these old people are suggesting?_

"Wait _,_ Nee-sama, I—" Hanabi tried to say. Hinata gave her a look that stopped her words.

Hinata looked at Neji, "—in the condition that I will bear Nii—no, Neji's child." Hinata finished.

 _Wait, what?_

 _Present time._

"Neji-san's devotion is something his father will be proud of." Kou said.

Hanabi nodded but stayed silent. Kou was not in that meeting but there's no denying that. Neji's strong devotion is a fact. Maybe his devotion is not really for the whole clan, but more focused on Hinata only.

 _Help us, Neji-nii-san. Help Nee-sama feel better._

 _Help me, Nii-sama,_ Hinata prayed in her head. _I don't want this. I don't want to hate Naruto-kun. I don't wanna hate anyone._

Everything Hinata honestly feeling is really bothering her. It is against everything she believes in and everything she thought she knew.

 **But you do, don't you?**

 _Huh?_ Hinata looked around. She thought she heard a voice. When she saw and felt no one, she continued her kunai-throwing.

 **You hate him, don't you?**

This distracted her for a fraction of second which is enough time to make a mistake. She threw a kunai some millimeters wrong which made it clash with a kunai she threw earlier she watched as it bounce back to her.

 **It's such an ugly feeling, isn't it?**

The same voice distracted her again to lose focus on avoiding the kunai. When she focused back, it was too late. Her kunai is a few inches away from her face. She adjusted a few centimeters the kunai missing her right eye.

 _Itae_. Her hand flew to her eye and realized it's bleeding. The kunai missed her eye but it grazed it enough to bleed.

Still with her hand on her eye, she shook her head lightly before dropping on her back in the ground.

 _Pathetic. To be wounded by your own weapon._

She willed her chakra to her hand and healed herself.

 _What is wrong with me?_

 **Everything. Everything is wrong with you and you know it. You're a damaged good.**

"Who's there?" she stood up vigilantly and again felt no presence.

The voice chuckled. **Do you still not realize it?**

 _Realize what?_

The voice chuckled again. **It's all in your head. I'm not real. My voice is just in your head. The war and your beloved cousin's death took a lot in you.**

 _Wait, what?_

 **You've damaged yourself more than you thought.**

 _What do you mean?_

 **It took your sanity.**

* * *

I'm sorry, I am not in sync with the anime nor the manga. Honestly, I lost interest on the episodes before Pein attacked Konoha and I have been spoiled with the later happenings in the anime that I no longer desire to watch where I left off. So I am not quite sure about the details pertaining on how they informed and how they knew of the war. All the facts in this fanfic is are all based on what I have watched and the spoilers I have heard.

Thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter III-A: Special

**Sacrifice Breeds Hate**

 _random716_

 **Chapter III**

 **Special**

* * *

 **Note:**

 **Voice inside Hinata's head**

 _Thoughts._

* * *

It was uncanny. It was strange to realize that you're crazy. Like, it's different to _think_ you're going crazy than to _know_ you're actually going crazy. Though truth be told, Hinata is not really surprised, it was just weird to be aware about it.

 _This can't be true, can it?_

 **But you know it is, right?**

It didn't help that the voice in her head is talking to her so casually.

 _I could always go to post-war counseling they are doing._

 **Yes. Yes. You can do that. But** _ **you**_ **wanna be with those** _ **weaklings**_ **that can't get over some little things. People die. Big deal. It was a war, for Kami's sake. You're dwelling on it too much. You are such a weakling.**

"Hn."

Hinata almost jumped out of her skin hearing that infamous voice (and word—though it's obviously _not_ a word). She is on a training field which is secluded since she wanted to be alone and also the fact that fewer shinobis are being strict with their training since the shinobi nations have come to a time of peace.

"Konichiwa Uchiha-san." it was not her intention but the way she heard herself say 'Uchiha' sounded like she spit it out with hate.

She can't help it that she hates his clan. But Kami knows it's all just in her head. _And you know you're too weak to hold a grudge on the Uchiha Clan._

"Hn." the boy responded with a slight smirk.

"Sumimasen, goodbye, Uchiha-san." she muttered and started walking away.

"I knew it,"

"Nani?"

"I knew that you are not as pure and untainted as they say." she faced him, slightly offended, "I mean, don't get the wrong idea, but _you_ are a kunoichi. You ought to _see_ ugly things, you ought to _feel_ ugly things, and you ought to _feel_ ugly things." he looked at her, " _You_ ought to get ugly."

Speechless, Hinata just looked at the last Uchiha. She opened her mouth to retort and then closed it again when nothing came.

Nothing he said was a lie and she can't deny that.

In the end, she let it go and decided to keep her mask. "I must go, Uchiha-san."

It didn't escape her all-seeing eyes the spiteful smirk he gave her. She ignored it, ignored him.

* * *

 _Damn that Uchiha. He's so conceited. He thinks he knows a lot about me._

 **But he's not wrong, is he?** She refused to mentally respond to the voice. **Actually, come to think of it, he's the only one who did see the ugliness in you.**

"Hey, Hinata-chan!"

For Kami's sake, she's a kuinoichi and had byakugan but how does everyone keep surprising her?

By the enegy and the loud voice she didn't need to look up to know it was Lee.

"Konichiwa, Lee-kun." she said with a forced smile and tried her best to hide her annoyance.

That's another thing that had changed. Before, she liked seeing happy and cheerful people like Lee, Kiba and especially Naruto, but now, cheerful people just made her annoyed—annoyed that they are full of life and cheerful like nothing is wrong in the world. That she can't be happy and forgiving as they are. Yes, she was bitter and it was unreasonable, but honestly, that is what she feels.

Lee's face broke into a worried one. "Are you well, Hinata-chan?"

She felt a pang of guilt in her chest with the way his face contoured into a genuine worry.

"H-hai, Lee-kun, I just want to be alone." she said, "Please." she added.

Rock Lee was many things but rude is not one of them. He nodded weakly and gave her a long look. "Hinata-chan," he called, "You are Neji's precious cousin, please know that I am willing to assist you with anything." he said, sincerely. She felt warm with the way he said it. He was so sincere and passionate; it would make Gai-sensei cry.

She let a somehow genuine smile show, "Arigatou, Lee-kun." she said.

Lee was stunned for a second but gave a blinding smile with a good-guy pose. "Yosh!" he exclaimed, "I'll see you around, Hinata-chan!"

 **Well, he's annoying.**

She tuned out the voice and went on her way. She doesn't want to answer to it, she refuse to acknowledge it, maybe if she ignored it, it would go away.

 _I am holding on to a thin, thin thread and it's just a matter of time before it snaps._ She thought as she jumped in to the forest to avoid running into someone she knows. She had too much encounter today.

* * *

 **You know, everything will be easier if you'd stop being annoying and just let it go.** The voice said as she sat under a tree.

Still, she ignored the voice though she wanted to question it.

 **Just let it go. Just be angry. Let them know how everything affected you. Let your anger go.**

 _Stop._

 **Or maybe you could just blame yourself because you are** _ **so**_ **weak.**

 _Stop._

 **Blame the Hyuuga clan for making Neji think he needed to protect someone weak like you.**

 _Stop._

 **Blame the Uchihas for being so focused on themselves to start a war.**

 _Stop._

 **Blame Sakura for not running to help him.**

Hinata shut her eyes tightly. _Stop._

 **Blame Sasuke for deciding to help a little too late.**

Still with eyes closed, she crouched to the ground her head between her hands. _Stop!_

 **Blame Naruto for not being strong enough.**

 _Stop!_

 **Hate Naruto for being too cruel that he needed you to snap some sense to him.**

"I said stop!" she opened her eyes and her byakugan was activated without her knowing.

Her eyes caught something on her peripheral and gave a jyuuken blow. Her hand hit a tree trunk, pieces of it flying to her. She snapped out of her episode and realized she blacked out and lease out.

Bits of the wood pieces broke her jacket and scratched her face.

 _What's happening to me?_ She asked herself as she walked to the pond near the area.

She scooped a handful of water and washed her face. By her second scoop, there she realized her byakugan is still active, more so, her right eye looks different. She looked closely..

 _What the..?_

She walked away from her reflection on the water and tried to calm herself. _Hinata, you need to calm down. It was just a trick of the eye. Your mind is not stable; it's not surprising you see things._ Because there's no way her eye looked inverted—the pupil is purple, the iris is a darker shade of purple with a white fluidly elongated and swirled tomoe in it.

She slowly walked back to the pond and tried to peek at her reflection.

 **Oh, whataya know. The bunny is special after all.**

Her blurred mind focused with the eerie tone the voice in her head used.

" _You_ are special after all." she's quite sure she heard that with her ears. She twisted her body to, already poised with jyuuken style and faced where the voice came from.

"Who are—"she tried to ask but she realized she doesn't need to because she knows exactly who the person in front of her is, "Kabuto." she spit the name like it was venom.

Kabuto adjusted his glassed and broke into an insane-looking smile. "My, my, you _did_ change, my dear Hinata-chan." he said, "And I _love_ it!"

Hinata had little patience these days and she was not feeling guilty about it this time. She run to where Kabuto is and tried to hit him with a jyuuken.

The man dodged easily, he glided fluidly, his face close to her. His eyes are greedily looking at her right eye. "Sugoi." he whispered.

This annoyed Hinata greater. She twisted her body and faced him, she moved swiftly, fluidly and with fire, she successfully pinned the white haired man on the ground with force.

Kabuto didn't even look fazed; instead he looked more insanely happy with what he is seeing. _What the hell is wrong with him?_ He smiled widely even with the blood on his mouth, and it looked insanely annoying to Hinata.

"What the hell are you smiling about!?" she yelled as she pound him rather ungracefully and in un-Hyuuga way.

Kabuto never answered her but she stopped when she saw her reflection on his glasses. Her right eye now had three tomoes. She dropped Kabuto and put her hand on her right eye, shielding it from anything. _What is that? What is this?_

"It just means that you are not meant to be weak." she heard him say.

"Shut up," she spit, still using her hand to hide her freak eye.

She knew he was standing up with the noises she is hearing but she didn't bother to try and stop him.

"Find me, we'll work on that." he said, his voice fading away.

She knows she need to stop him, after all, he _is_ an enemy of Konoha. But she got other things in her hands right now. And she is feeling familiar chakra presence and her eye is not going back to normal.

He landed in front of her like a whisper. Without looking, who it was, she knew his chakra. Still with her hand on her eye, she refused to look at him. _Of all shinobi, it had to be him,_ she thought ironically.

" _Hn_." she heard him say.

She ignored her presence and focused on trying not to look suspicious with her hiding her eye.

" _Hn,_ " he tried again.

Hinata realized that he will not go away. "What."

She was not looking at him but she _felt_ him smirk.

"Where is he?" he demanded.

"Where is who?"

" _Tck,_ don't play with me, Hyuuga. I know he was here. Where is Kabuto?"

She rolled her eyes, "He fled."

She just knows he just rolled his eyes, "Stop being a brat, Hyuuga."

It was weird that since the start of this conversation, she never looked at him but she knows what kind of face he is making.

He was being nosy and HInata needed to get away from him. She still wasn't sure how her eye looks.

"You know, I could think of a thousand things to describe you, but I didn't think _annoying_ was one of them," she said, stopping whatever he was about to say, "You are being annoying Uchiha-san," she said then tried to get away.

She took the opportunity of the stunned and ego-wounded Uchiha to flee.

* * *

When Hinata arrived home, it was quite dim. And she knows it was a matter of minutes before she gets to be called for supper. So before she retreat to her room for the night she told a Hyuuga servant that she will not be having dinner for she had already ate with her teammates.

She was quite amazed how the lies rolled off her tongue. She said it flawlessly and effortlessly.

Given that her blushing and stutter was tamed after puberty, she can't help blushing (due to embarrassment) and stuttering (for nervousness) excessively when she is lying. But tonight, she was amazed and appalled with her discovery.

 **The more you suppress the darkness, the more it evolves.** Kabuto's voice echoed in her head.

 _How did you end up in my head?_ She asked, it was no use to fret about it.

 **Ah, I could answer your question but does it really matter?**

She thought about it and no, it was not necessary.

 **I thought so, too.**

 _Why me?_

 **Why not you?**

 _Don't mock me._

 **Ah.** He sounded thoughtful. **..because kind hearts darken darker than an evil heart.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter III-B: Qualms

**Sacrifice Breeds Hate**

 _random716_

 **Chapter III-B**

 **Qualms**

 _Kind hearts darken darker than an evil heart._ The words Kabuto said to her (in her head) kept surfacing in her thoughts. _What does he supposed to mean?_

She tried not to think about it, but she can't deny herself that she has a very good guess what the bespectacled man meant with what he said. She felt thorn with what she was feeling.

On one side, she was shocked and worried with the revelation. Does this mean she can be more evil than Orochimaru—even Madara Uchiha? On the other hand, she was thrilled that Kabuto find interest in her—dare she say it—power? To think they once targeted Uchiha Sasuke—which only meant that she was _that_ powerful for the apprentice of Orochimaru find interest in her.

She pushed the thoughts away from her head and tried to focus on the task at hand. Her eyes scanned the scroll she was holding and took a deep breath.

Hatake Kakashi—the sixth Hokage—approved of her application and now, she needed a recommendation from a formidable shinobi to complete the next stage. And when she heard "formidable", she thought of her father.

She sat on a seiza position and took a breath before she knocked softly two times. He heard her father muttered, "Come in," and she slid the door open. She bows and slipped into the room, slid the door shut, bowed again when she faced her father.

"I would like to get your recommendation for my application," she pushed the black scroll with a gold kanji of 応用 to her father.

Every shinobi knows what that scroll is for. If he was not Hyuuga Hiashi, his face may register shock but he is, so he didn't—not given the current peace they are having, his daughter is figuratively asking him to sign her death certificate.

He took a moment before looking at her daughter who is looking straight at him. He knew something in her changed after the war—he's guessing that the infinite tsukiyomi had something to do with it and figured that she will eventually get over it and be back to her old self—but she's changing little by little and he feels like she's becoming someone else.

When no word crossed her daughter's mouth, he broke the look, exhaled and look back at her, "Hinata, you know we are at a time of peace." he started, "And because of this, the demand of ANBU members are less."

"I am aware, father." she said, "But I don't want to take everything as perfect as it may seem." she continued, "I don't want to be rusty. I want to stay strong. And I want to get stronger." the look on her face stopped any word he wants to say, "It's better to be a shinobi in the garden than be a gardener in a war."

Her father looked quite stunned (for a Hyuuga that is) and he stayed silent. After a few moments, he exhaled and said, "Very well," he took another look at his elder daughter, "I'll call for you when it is ready." He said, "You are dismissed."

Hinata bowed respectfully and silently complied.

=SBH=

It was around two in the morning when Hanabi woke up feeling thirsty and sleepily walked to the common kitchen to grab a glass of water. When she was returning to her room, she noticed that her father's study still has its lights on.

She tilted her head on the side and wondered whether her father left a candle burning or he was still there. She bet it was the latter. But why is her father still in the study at this hour?

The Hyuuga compound has a strict rule about being in bed early. Latest time you could walk in is eight in the evening (when you don't have missions) because you have to be sleeping by nine. And you have to be up by exactly half past four in the morning. They strongly believe in the saying "the early bird catches the worm".

She thought it was the elders being old, but she came to realize that training early in the morning is more effective (and relaxing).

Hanabi walked slowly to the door and saw her father engrossed with a scroll. She stood for a few minutes but her father never rolled the scroll or did he look like he was actively reading something. For a brief moment, she thought her father fell asleep sitting but scratched the idea right away when he called, "Hanabi-chan?"

She straighten and answered, "Hai, chichiue?"

"Why are you up so late?" he asked without looking at her. He started rolling back the scroll he was "reading" as she watched carefully.

"I woke up feeling thirsty and got up to get a glass of water but I noticed your lights are still on," she said truthfully, still watching him re-roll the scroll. Her eyes caught the gold kanji in it. _An ANBU application? At this era? But who could be asking for father's recommendation?_ she wondered.

"Aah," her father said. "I was just finishing things." he continued, "You should go back to bed, Hanabi-chan," this time, her father looked at her and she noticed how distressed her father looked. One would not notice the changes, but he _is_ her father.

Then it clicked. _Nee-sama!_ Her eyes widen in realization. _But why?_ But she didn't ask. She silently complied and started walking back to her quarter.

As Hanabi slide her door open, her eyes caught her sister's own door. _What're you thinking, Nee-sama?_ Before she thought about what she wanted to do, her body decided for her. She found herself walking to her sister's door carefully. She's not yet decided what she wanted to say, and she didn't know what would happen because _surely,_ her sister is probably sound asleep at this time.

She didn't expect she would actually talk to her sister now, but of all the things she did not expect, finding her sister's bed empty is not one of them.

"Where are you, nee-sama?" she whispered to the empty room.

=SBH=

Kiba is kinda annoyed that Akamaru "waked" him up to go for a walk. The dog-nin seems a bit restless. He woke up with a start with the odd behavior from Akamaru. He immediately scanned area within parameter for anything suspicious, but nothing stood out. With that being said, he can't go back to sleep from the rush his body felt. Sure, he wakes up before the sun rises but it's still three in the freaking morning!

Now, Kiba is running after his dog that is currently running to the forest. It seems like Akamaru is looking for something. Again, trusting Akamaru's instincts, he closed his eyes and tried to smell what the dog is trying to find. Still, his nose smelt nothing except for a very faint smell of ashes, wood..and sweat. He thinks someone is training at the forest. If this was another time, he would think someone training this early (or up to this early) is normal.

But this is the era of peace; it is very rare to find people who are keeping up with a religious training regime. Though that's not something to be suspicious about, isn't it? _Who could that be?_ He bets it's someone powerful for him not be able to feel an amount of chakra. He has a very good guess that it's the bastard Sasuke being obsessed with isolation and power. Also the fact that the smell of ashes and wood is kinda a scent he usually picks up with the last Uchiha.

To satisfy the curiosity, he walked slowly to where the scent is coming from. Only to be confused to whom he will see. _Hinata-chan?_

She looked like she is meditating.. or trying to focus her chakra somewhere. He looked around to see who she is with but as far as he can tell, she's alone. All he saw was wrecked dummies and shuriken and kunai all over the place. It all comes down to one question: why does she smell like _that?_

He racked his brain for possible reason and he vaguely remember Hinata has the Fire affinity but since she is from the Hyuuga Clan whose jutsus are usually affiliated with Earth, Wind then Water affinity, she rarely use it, instead she uses her less handled affinity, Water. Yes, water affinity is neither her first nor her second affinity of chakra but she chose to focus on those jutsus, all because she's from the Hyuuga Clan and the way she had mastered jutsus using it is truly amazing.

Does this mean she is now trying to master jutsus on Fire affinity?

Kiba guesses it's just natural. But.. it's so unlike her. So _un_ -Hinata.

Or maybe he's just not used to it. _Maybe_.

He was distracted when he thought he heard her mutter under her breath. He blinked and looked at her; and this time he really looked at her. She looked haggard with her tired posture and tattered clothes, but nonetheless physically looked the same. But Kiba _knows_ Hinata, there is something vaguely yet significantly different about her.

=SBH=

When Hinata exited her father's study, she went straight to her room and tried not to think about how her father seemed to be surprised and a bit reluctant. _After everything, he still doubts me. He still thinks I'm weak._ She hated thinking that way, she hated _feeling_ that way and the voice in her head is not helping. It's like she is doing everything to keep herself sane but Kabuto is doing exactly the opposite and it's not helping that he's in her head and knows exactly the things she doesn't want to hear.

The silence of the compound only helped her hear what Kabuto is saying to her, so she sneaked out and decided to train. She was supposed to improve her water-manipulation jutsus and she did, at the start. But Kabuto keep talking in her head that only infuriated her, and in no time she lost her temper (yes, she did) and accidentally released a fire jutsu. She was shocked seeing the destruction the jutsu made, the tree the jutsu landed burned half of its trunk and the leaves on the lower part was now ashes. She was astounded with her temper outburst and how good it felt.

Of course, that was just for a few moments because she felt disgusted with herself when she realized she felt good with the destruction she caused. What is happening to her?

She was frustrated with how she is turning out to be and she hated every part of it but the next thing she saw was ashes and the smell of fire. She figured she launched several more fire jutsus on the area which only frustrated her more. But she felt utter relief. She decided she needed to clear her head and meditate—which is going well until she felt Akamaru followed by Kiba near the area. She tried to dismiss them, though it is quite early for Kiba to be training with Akamaru. Then they started closing in and then he stopped. She waited for him to leave her be, and really tried to ignore them but..

 _ **The dog-boy is here.**_ Kabuto's voice in her head said.

Hinata exhaled, "I know," she didn't notice that she actually hissed that instead of saying to the annoying voice in her head.

She's getting frustrated with him lurking around her head and what's more annoying is he speaks in her head so casually like they are friends or something. It's annoying and she hated it. She hated him.

 _ **You said that out loud,**_ Kabuto's voice snapped her back to the present situation; his playful and teasing _. I know and shut up_ , she responded in her head.

"Kiba-kun, I know you're in there." she said, not disrupting her meditating position.

She heard him lightly gasp and exhaled chuckling a bit. "Heh, Hinata-chan, hey."

She exhaled and gracefully turned to him. She only opened her eyes when she was fully turned to him. "What can I do for you, Kiba-kun?" then she gave him a smile she really didn't feel like giving.

She masked her confused with how Kiba's face registered shock which he hid right away and placed a neutral mask., but when he suddenly pulled her to a hug, and said, "I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. I'm really am."

"W-wha-? K-kiba-kun." he said nothing, "W-what are you d-doing?"

"Just, I'm sorry, Hinata," his voice was a bit restrained, and she thinks he's about to cry.

"Kiba-kun?"

Kiba loosened his grip on her and slowly multiplied the space between them. Hinata noticed his nose is a bit red and she knows it's an indication that he is about to cry and he's doing everything to stop it. She was about to call his name again, "I know you're hurting," he said. She was annoyed and surprised when she felt her cheek burn, she rarely blushed these days.

"I—"

"And I'm quite hurt that you didn't felt you can talk to me—to _us_ about it," he said, blushing uncharacteristically.

Hinata just looked at Kiba, as if in a daze. She knew he was telling the truth and her friend is hurt with her action and though he doesn't know what exactly she was going through, she knows he felt it and the way she closed herself off to her friends hurt them—especially her best friends, Kiba and Shino.

"Kiba-kun," she said. "I'm sorry," she said. The next thing she knew, she was clinging onto him and crying. Her face is buried on the crook of his shoulders because she doesn't want him to see her tears.

She felt Kiba's hand soothe her back and the occasional gulp in his throat.

=SBH=

It was unnerving. Kiba knew she was hurt and he was reminded how much, just like the time when they saw her cry like she did that night in Neji's grave.

Kiba looked at Hinata who he placed half sitting, half-lying on the foot of a tree trunk after she fell asleep. He can bet his money that she is having trouble sleeping and last night, she didn't sleep at all.

He sighed. What kind of friend he is if she didn't think she can come to him when she is like this?

He heard a faint buzzing and he just knows who it was.

"That was quick." he commented. He was answered by silence.

He learned long ago that he can easily summon Shino by crushing one bug in the area. It was convenient when there are emergency while in the village but Shino gets a bit aggravated when he does this over small things so he only done it a handful of times before.

Kiba looked at Shino and he just knows that the guy is quite upset, one may not think so, but Kiba knows Shino far too long to not be accustomed to what his little mannerisms mean. He had the faintest frown in his mouth (which you can barely see because of his high collar) and his brows were a few angles out of place. Although he was not sure what exactly he was upset about. He's in the middle of "because Hinata is not herself" and "because she opened up to Kiba and not me" reason. Though he may bet it was a little bit of both.

Shino was looking at Hinata, not saying anything, not a muscle moved on his face but Kiba saw him clench his fist and exhaled under his breath.

"She cried." Shino said.

"Yeah." he answered, not knowing what to say.

"Is she.." it was new for Kiba to see Shino was lost for words. Yes, Shino was a man of few words, but he always knows what to say.

Kiba exhaled, and Shino was grateful for the interruption, because he was not used to speaking incompletely.

"She's alright.. at least for now." Kiba said. "She's tired. I bet she had been here all night."

Shino walked and then slowly sit silently next to his ex-teammates. He stayed silent as he studied Hinata's sleeping face. Even in her slumber, she was not at peace, her brows are scrunched together slightly and a small frown is in her mouth. "Yes, she is tired." he said, "She's all kinds of tired."

=SBH=

" _Come on Hinata, you know better."_

 _Hinata looked back to see who it was only to face a mirror. Her reflection showed her face yet she felt it was not her._

 _Her face in the mirror had a hostile expression on her face. Her face was smirking and her eyes were mocking_ _1_ _. Her overall expression was full of malice—it almost reminded her of Orochimaru. It had been quite a long time since she looked directly to her reflection but this is not what she remembered seeing._

" _But you know this is the real you now." She saw Kabuto appeared behind her in her reflection. She watched as his hand descended to block her eyes gently._

 _For a moment she was not seeing anything but before she could say anything, he removed it from her eyes and she saw both of her eyes in the familiar yet new appearance._

 _Her usually pale lavender eyes are in darker purple and have three white elongated and swirled tomoes—much like an inverted version of Sharingan. She knew her byakugan is active since her vision is much sharper and she can feel the chakra going to her eyes. But there were no veins near her eyes in the reflection._

 _She knew she was feeling panicked but she watched herself in the mirror smirked and heard it say, "Just embrace it, I'm still you."_

 _Few moments passed before she found voice, "No," she said, eyeing Kabuto and_ herself _in the mirror. "I am_ not _you!"_

 _It was silent for few moments before her reflection slowly pushed itself from the mirror not a minute later her reflection is physically in front of her. Her not-self clutched her jaw and whispered, "Maybe not_ **yet** _."_

Hinata woke up with a jolt. _It was a dream,_ she said to herself, panting slightly.

"What's wrong, Hinata-chan?" with that she realized Kiba and Shino was with her. She felt guilt for burdening her teammates, both looked worried and tired. _I need to snap out of this._

She also noticed the sun almost in the middle of the sky. It must have been close to noon.

"I—" _**Are your teammates still worried about you? Kami, Hinata.**_ Annoyed yet affected with what Kabuto said, "I'm alright." she said and smiled brightly at them.

The two boys seemed satisfied with her answer. "Come on Hina, we should get you home." Kiba said smiling.

=SBH=

As they are walking home, something is bothering Hinata. True, she was quite relieved that her teammates are getting off her back and believe her false words of reassuring them that she's alright but she can't help feeling disappointed that they have not seen through her.

 _ **Because they have a life, too, you know. And all this worrying for you can only last for too long.**_

She decided to ignore Kabuto and walked with the fake contentment she forced herself to feel with her teammates.

"Hey, do you guys mind if we grab a bite?" Kiba suddenly said as they are approaching Ichiraku.

She saw Shino traced his collar with his left hand; it was a quick action and not very noticeable but she had been with Shino for a long time to not know what his mannerisms meant. And that particular action meant that he was keen to agree but since he was who he was, he didn't say that out loud.

"Sure," she answered and they took a left to enter the small restaurant.

…

"Itadakimasu!" all three of them said before digging in to the food.

Seems she was right about her perception of time when she woke up. And it looks like Shino and Kiba didn't have the chance to have their breakfast because of her.

She felt a pang of guilt in her chest before she felt her hunger.

Hinata had only had thee mouthful before she stopped rushing.

 _ **Are you sure these are your friends? They don't even see how much you're faking this.**_

She ignored Kabuto and thankfully, he stopped. But she knows only because he knew he got to her head.

She looked down at her ramen and almost fell off of her seat seeing her reflection in it. _What the..?_

"Is everything alright?" Shino asked.

She automatically put her hand in her right eye. "I—I suddenly felt ill, Shino-kun," she said, "I think I better head home," she turned around and was about to flee when she felt Shino's hand on her shoulder.

"Hinata," he called.

She stiffened but then resigned everything; she sighed, closed her eyes and slowly turned to her friend. There's no way she will be able to _not_ make them see what happened to her eyes without looking suspicious.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and watch how Shino will react seeing her eyes. She didn't know what she was expecting but Shino did not react any differently. For a second she thought maybe her eyes are back to normal, but she knows it's not the case since her vision is vivid and clearer, she can also feel the chakra going to her eyes. All that and she can see her reflection on Shino's sunglasses.

So why aren't he saying anything?

"Are you okay, Hinata-chan?" Kiba said behind Shino.

Hinata looked at him and he simply looked back, waiting for her answer. She couldn't find her voice and just shook her head.

 _ **Interesting. It seems no one can see your eyes are activated.**_

"Nee-sama!"

The three of them got distracted with that voice. Hinata turned and saw her sister in the entrance of the restaurant.

"Hanabi-chan," she acknowledged. Her brows knitted when her eyes saw her sister.

Hanabi gave her a confused look, probably because of the look she's giving. "What's wrong Hinata-nee?" she asked, omitting the honorific—her sister knew she didn't quite like hearing being called with that honorific outside the compound.

 _You are covered in purple aura.. or is that her charka?_ Hinata said to herself. "N-nothing." She turned and her peripheral vision just noticed that Shino and Kiba is also covered in colored aura/charka. Theirs are gray. _What is this?_

 _ **Interesting. What does that mean, Hi-nata-chan?**_

She felt confused and Kabuto is not helping and really, his voice just makes her annoyed and angry every time. She inhaled and.. _what the hell?_ She saw she also had colored aura, just as it was changing from red to blue, it's now changing to purple, like Hanabi's.

 _ **Aha!**_

"I'm quite tired. I think I need to head home," she announced.

"Come on, let's get home, Hinata-nee." She turned to smile at her imouto only to see her in gray aura.

 _ **Seems like colors represent their moods?**_

 _That makes sense,_ but she blocked out Kabuto and focused on getting home and being alone in her quarters.

"Are you okay, Nee-sama?" Hanabi asked as they are approaching the Hyuuga gates.

She sharply looked at her sister, "I told you, Hanabi- chan, - _sama_ is getting quite annoying to hear." she scolded, Hanabi posed a saddened face so she added a softer, "Okay?" because can't stay mad at her sister. "You are my sister, and no way lower than I am.. well except that I'm a few years older."

Hinata's heart swelled with joy as Hanabi smiled back at her, in her Hanabi way—happy, mischievous and boyish. "I love you, you know that?" she said nonchalantly.

She blushed at the rare display of affection from her tsun-tsun and boisterous sister. "You will always be my favorite sister." she said, half kiddingly.

" _Psh_ ," Hanabi scoffed, though Hanabi has a slightly darker complexion, Hinata is quite sure her sister is blushing, "Because I _am_ your _only_ sister."

=SBH=

It was early in the evening and Hinata is meditating. Kabuto is quite silent in her head for the past few hours—she couldn't be any more contented.

A soft knock was heard.

"Hai?" she asked.

"Hiashi-sama is asking for your audience, Hinata-sama." a female Hyuuga servant answered politely.

"Okay, I'll be there in a moment." she said, "Arigatou, Touka-san2."

…

When Hinata was standing in front of his door, she immediately knocked. She vaguely thought that this was another thing about her that changed. Before, when she is about to see her father, she would be so anxious, once she's in the front of his door, it would take her a few minutes (and attempts—and intake of breath) to actually knock on his door.

"You asked for my presence, father?" she asked after knocking.

"Come on in. Hinata." was her father's brief answer. She slid gracefully and bowed before her father. Silence reigned and she waited. Again, she absently thought this was another thing that changed: she was not shrinking to the silence with her father.

Her father quietly and swiftly slid a scroll on the space between them, with serious look.

It took a brief look before she recognized the scroll.

"Father..?"

1In Hinata's dream, she saw herself in the mirror, just remember how you felt seeing RtN Hinata. It was the same face but different in subtle ways.

2The insertion of this scene may or may not be important and may or may not be because I wanted to use Touka's name (yes, Tokyo Ghoul).

A/N: So what do you think Hiashi's decision?

Again, thanks for reading such crap.


	6. Chapter IV: Despair

**Sacrifice Breeds Hate**

 _random716_

 **Chapter IV**

 **Despair**

Warning: OOC-ness and also, I would like to remind everyone who reads that this story is Rated M for a reason. You probably should stop reading if you don't like M for gore and/or non-consensual sexual situations. This chapter probably has one.

When Hiashi pulled his hand away from the scroll, Hinata hesitated on picking it up.

She didn't know how much time passed but her father moved and the next thing she knew, he was standing in front of her. She looked at him and he had an unreadable look on his face.

"You are to return from every mission alive." he said and walked pass her swiftly.

 _Does that mean..?_ She quickly unrolled the scroll and wanted to cry for the overwhelming pride she felt seeing her father's seal at the bottom of the scroll.

"Thank you, father." she whispered in the air and she didn't notice the lone tear fell from her eye.

…

Just outside the sliding door, Hiashi heard her whispered words and can't help but feel the mixture of pride, joy, worry and melancholy.

He and Hinata may have a difficult relationship, but he will never deny that he loves her daughter dearly and her happiness means a lot to him.

=SBH=

 **Three days after.**

It was weird. Not the fact that the ANBU mask she and everyone else is wearing is not the usual white with red and/or blue strakes—it was black with accents of blue and red. Hinata never thought signing up with ANBU will require a (boring) briefing. She thought it was petty as probably everyone thought. She didn't need to see their faces or to use her byakugan to know that.

"Being an ANBU ninja means you are loyal to Konoha, not to your Master, not to your Clan or anything else." someone—probably a mentor—said.

 _ **Well, that makes sense.**_

 _But when will you know you're doing missions for Konoha, not for the leader's sake?_ She thought as she vaguely remembers Uchiha Itachi.

 _ **Oh, Hinata-chan, don't tell me you have a crush on Uchiha Itachi?**_

She decided to ignore Kabuto and tried to focus on what the initial instructor is saying. Though she faintly thought that she didn't particularly liked Itachi like what Kabuto is implying, she did admire his power more so, his loyalty.

"You will be given three A-class missions and you are to finish them alone." he paused and continued, "Then another special mission with a random partner." he said, "If you're alive after those four missions, you can call yourself an ANBU." the ANBU finished, probably trying to intimidate everyone. _Lame,_ she thought.

Then one by one an ANBU roll called each one of the aspiring ANBU by the animal mask they are wearing.

"Kuro1 Hare," an ANBU said, handing her a red scroll which she took without a word.

=SBH=

Hinata didn't open her scroll, not until it was in her bed and it was late at night. After all, the ANBU instructor said that they have two days to prepare for their missions. And when she did, she didn't know what she felt.

It was an assassination mission in the Wave Country. Mitsuru Nagasaki.

 _Easy enough_. _This is a Class-A mission?_

 _ **He probably has shinobi guards.**_

She silently agreed to that. She read the mission details and which made her kind of confused. He looked a normal-enough for an underground dealer. And the mission requestor is a normal lady.

 _ **I wonder what her beef is.**_ _ **And she specifically requested a kunoichi to do the mission.**_

Hinata was wondering about the same details Kabuto pointed out but didn't really wanna talk to him so she stayed quiet, she'll get her answers soon enough.

 _ **This Mitsuru-guy look a little like Sasuke-kun, ain't he?**_

She decided to ignore that input.

=SBH=

 **Two days after.**

Hinata had only been in Manaka's—the mission requestor—presence for less than five minutes and she already has a feeling that the girl is quite off.

She looked normal enough but something is missing.

 _ **She's all alone.**_

For once, she didn't feel annoyed with Kabuto's input.

She wondered, but she didn't ask.

"Look, you need to do this because I saved money for half a year to pay you," Manaka said, a little hostile. She just looked at Manaka and decided not to say anything—which apparently ticked the girl. "You probably think you're so good, you wouldn't even break a sweat with this mission."

"I never said anything like that," she answered simply.

"But believe me, this won't be easy," the girl continued like she didn't say anything. "Many other villagers here tried to hire shinobis for this job, but all of them failed."

That caught her attention. "What do you mean many other villagers tried to hire shinobis?" _is that why this mission is Class A?_

"It means just that." she paused, "Many tried to do the mission and died doing so." Manaka said, "But I know now where they are going wrong," Hinata tilted her head to silently ask, "They kept asking for _shinobis_ , but I know only a _kunoichi_ can do the mission."

Hinata didn't catch herself when she blurted out the question, "Why?"

Manaka smirked, "Because shinobis are _guys._ And they tend to overestimate themselves and underestimate their opponents." she said, "They can't feel the rage hearing that bastard's crimes," with that last statement, suddenly, the girl looked melancholic and older.

"What happened?" she asked.

She watched as Manaka opened her mouth only to close them again. Then she felt she watched all her walls come back up.

"Aside from the fact that he was the one who started the shameless selling and abuse of opium2." she said, looking faraway, "That, and all other immoral activities."

 _ **Hmm, only a kunoichi could do the job..?I bet these immoral activities involved a lot of violating women.**_

Though she was trying hard to not hear Kabuto, she was upset how true his words can be. And by the second, as her head created images that she'd rather not see, upset was becoming an understatement.

She wanted to know. Through the holes of her black ANBU mask, she saw Manaka tried to look into her eyes and suddenly, Manaka's eyes looked dazed.

And unknown to her, her eyes reacted to the rage she inwardly feels.

"Everybody knows what Mitsuru is up to. And everybody knows he's bad news." Manaka started narrating in a dazed state. "But Ai, my imouto, looked pass that," she blinked robotically, "She always looked for goodness in people. And I used to admire that about her." she paused, "Until—of course—it caused her death." she continued, still with dazed eyes but with a sarcastic smirk on her face.

 _ **What happened?**_ "What happened?" she asked in sync as Kabuto did the same in her head.

"She got into this habit to bring the bastard food—because the bastard once said that he liked our food. Which is obviously bullsh*it since he had the most expensive food in that mansion," Hinata thought to disagree since she knows for sure that expensive foods are _not_ always delicious, but she didn't interrupt and let her continue, "I really thought Ai was getting through him. Because.. I saw him look at my sister.. And the way she looked at him, I actually thought she was somehow changing him.. I thought.. she meant something to him."

Hinata can't help but scoff inwardly, "You actually thought this dirty scumbag would want to change?"

Manaka still had glassy eyes and continued to tell the story—as if not hearing her interrupt—voice cracking, "But once, she knocked in that house a little later than she usually does. And it seems that she came in a bad time since the bastard was high and his usually cluttered head is more of a mess than usual. And apparently, my gut was right that the bastard had something with my imouto because he.. he.." tears was falling fast in Manaka's glassy eyes. "..no matter how old she was, she was my imouto, she will always be my _little_ _3_ sister. He.. he.."

Manaka didn't need to continue. A fool can guess what happened. Her mind gave her images of Hanabi being in the same situation but instead of rage, a sense of dangerous calm took over Hinata's mind as Manaka's figure fell to the couch.

 **I didn't think your eyes can do that, too.**

She was surprised too, but over that, she just felt comforted with the new power she discovered.

=SBH=

One. Two. Three. Four.

Four shinobi guards.

 _ **And they all look like jounin level.**_

 _Jounin. This could mean they probably take this as solo missions. So, them teaming up on me, is less likely. Their areas are not close enough to be able to check on each other. So I guess taking them one by one will do._

"Oh, Mitsuru-kun," she was distracted with a female voice.

She almost wanted to throw up seeing a girl cling to Mitsuru—who is busy with leaves (which she's positive is opium)—like a (for the lack of better term) whore. She is dressed to seduce. Like a kunoichi in a mission. For a second she thought it may be the case, but as soon as she looked at the girl's smooth hands she dismissed the thought.

She tore her eyes away from the disturbing scene before she _actually_ throws up. She tried her best not to drive her eyes on the immoral scene that's happening.

 _ **It's weird that I'm not surprised with your reaction. But I half-expected you to blush to death.**_

Hinata knew Kabuto was probably right on that guess, but as she have accepted, everything about her are changing by the day and she felt like a whole different person than she the person she thought she was. But as she already decided, she ignored Kabuto in her head (hoping he'd go away) and tried to focus on more important things.

Like the shinobi that she is, she patiently waited for the night to come deep before making her first move.

And after a few hours, she decided it was time to start moving.

She quietly landed behind the bored guard. And by the time the guard knew of her presence, she had already hit four of his major chakra point to make him unconscious. _That should keep him out of her way for six hours._

The second guard was more aware and threw her a kunai as soon as she landed within his area—which she easily avoided. He was quick, too; because by the time her eyes focused on him again, he was half-way through a jutsu. But she'd like to think that she had survived the Fourth Shinobi War for a reason (and it was not just to loathe herself with her lost). So she swiftly did hand signs and half a second later, she appeared behind him and his jutsu hit the kawarimi she did. Then, as much as she disliked it, she quickly slit his throat as he slid down to the floor, she promptly hit three chakra points for him not to make a sound before he bleed to death.

She really hated killing with bukijutsu. _Sorry, Tenten-chan._

She can't help but be annoyed with the mess it leaves and not to mention the traces of scent it leaves on the scene, her clothes and _on_ her.

The third guard is easier than the first one because he was sleeping. She only had to hit some chakra points to make sure he would not wake up anytime soon.

When she was looking at the fourth guard, something in her head was calling out for her to be careful although he looked more of a civilian than an actual shinobi. He looked like someone her age, probably around 23 to 26 years old; average built and in an average looking ninja clothes.

He was so average, it was suspicious.

As she approached him, the eerie feeling coming from within her was getting stronger.

Then she silently grabbed him by the neck and tried to choke him as she gathered chakra on her index and middle finger. Not a moment later, he lay motionless.

 _ **That's anticlimactic.**_

She was a bit startled hearing Kabuto again in her head. He was oddly quiet since she killed the second guard. But she gotta admit, he was right, she was expecting more from him. Or she just overestimated him?

She looked at his still body and when she blinked, she was again she was again in the moment before she attacked him. _Genjutsu._

She quickly did the hand signs, "Kai," she whispered. When she opened her eyes, she was still on the same place.

 _ **That's some genjutsu, huh?**_

There was no time to waste; her body can be in danger if she won't release herself fast enough. She hurriedly took a kunai in her weapons pocket; she inhaled and closed her eyes tightly as she stabbed her left hand.

The next thing she saw was blinding light. She blinked and it took a moment before her eyes adjusted to the light.

"You know, for a kunoichi, you actually did pretty well, three over four?" as she looked at the one speaking and vaguely realized it was Mitsuru. Seeing him, it crashed to her that this is the same person she saw as the 'fourth guard' and she fell right into a trap. "And you're quite sharp, too." he said, as if seeing her realization.

Why wasn't she surprised when he revealed himself as a skilled shinobi? She glared at him.

He smirked knowingly and looked drowsily at her and Hinata suddenly realized how Ai could've fallen for someone like Mitsuru. His jet black hair makes his mint green eyes (though his eyes are much dilated now) are very intense, and an attractive easy, lazy smile just completes the look.

She looked around and realized she was lying in a table, and it looked like an operating table and her feet and hands are free. Is he that confident that she can't escape him or even fight him off?

The thought infuriated her. _I'll show him who's weak._

She glared at him and saw how stoned he was—his green eyes almost black because of the dilation. This could be a very good thing or a very bad thing. He can be either too intoxicated to think straight or he can be reckless and unpredictable.

Her hands was fast when she felt him leaned closer to her.

" _Ow,_ " he complained, "I forgot you're good with your hands," he muttered. Then smirked, realizing the innuendo4 of his words. And without a word, she pushed her hand near his heart to strike the organ. She was quite surprised when she felt his hand grip her pulse, " _Tsk, tsk,_ " he said, shaking her head, "That's not very polite,"

"Bite me," she said, and pulled her other arm for a different strike.

"Oh, I could," he answered. Before her hand made contact with any part of his body, she saw his hand slap hers effectively (and effortlessly) blocking her attack. "But please, don't bite me, okay?"

"Pervert," she said as she pushed herself away from him (when did he leaned in that close to her?). She flipped her body and landed on her feet. She gathered her healing chakra to her right hand and quickly (and sloppily) healed her wounded hand. Taking in the traditional Hyuuga pose, she eyed him with disgust before activating her bloodline.

"Oh, come on, Hyuuga," he said lazily, she blinked and when she opened her eyes again, he was not in front of her anymore. She knew he was behind her, and she hates to admit that if not for her byakugan, she won't see him immediately. "Come on, let's make this fun," he whispered in her ear and she thinks he was _too_ close to her.

He was perverted and she did not like that he doesn't even seem serious about their combat.

She felt chakra channel itself to her eyes and she watched as Mitsuru's green chakra became visible to her.

She was getting annoyed with his perverted assaults and her futile attempts to fight him off when something came to her.

Before, she didn't think kunoichi training5 was something she could get from her back pocket, but the situation is making it look promising.

" **By that time, he will come undone; and for one and a half minute, he will be very vulnerable and that's all the time you need to dispose your target."**

She subtly lessened her effort on her defense—to make his advances more effective, therefore his touches lingers longer on her skin. She can tell he was enjoying himself and he thinks he's gaining up on her. _Can he be more wrong?_ she thought as she smiled in her head.

She is amazed (and quite surprised) how she was good at faking everything—her frustrated facial reaction, conscious effort to pant and look exhausted, missing some hits and not being able to dodge the simplest attack from him. Few more minutes and she decided it was okay to _yield_.

And by Kami, he chose that moment to attack her by tackling her, effectively pushing her to the concrete floor. She didn't have to fake the surprise and the pain she felt. He straddled her and she just looked at him. "You know, this is not fun anymore," he said. She just glared at him. "Do you like being in pain?" he asked.

She struggled and tried to get him off her. She felt his weight on her stomach, she looked at him and his eyes don't even have a hint of green in them, they were almost black and he is eyeing him with lust and hunger. She can see him green chakra, darken and there were accent of deep purple chakra.

Hinata realized that what could happen—what she could lose, in this situation. She suddenly felt unprepared and panicked. She gathered chakra to her hand and tried to hit him, just hit him, anywhere. But it was futile, she was anxious and panicked, her attacks are sloppy.

"Do you really think you can outsmart me?" Mitsuru still looks the same but his smile does not look playful and lazy no more. He looked darker, more evil. Then she watched him as he took a kunai in her pouch and stabbed her upper arm with it.

She opened her eyes and realized that she was once again in the table she was on when she first dispelled his genjutsu. She also felt the pain in her upper arm, but the dull ache in her hand (from her own stabbing to dispel the first genjutsu) was not there.

Realization hit her like bricks. _I was wrong, I really am weak._ Realizing how weak she really was, she felt deflated, she felt like crying.

She vaguely saw him made hand signs as her head swam in despair.

 _ **Of all the things that you changed in yourself, you still kept that bullsh*t attitude.**_

She was quite surprised hearing Kabuto after his sudden (and not to mention welcomed) silence. But she did not acknowledge him.

 _ **Come on, Hyuuga, if you're gonna give up everything, might as well give yourself to science, to me. At least that way, you can be stronger. You will be of use to shinobi science.**_

Kabuto is not really convincing her to anything.

 _ **Fine, just hope you will be killed after this—since I doubt Hiashi would want to welcome a violated, weak and failure of a daughter after this.**_

Hinata wanted to cry. As much as she hates to admit it, Kabuto is right. And he might be saving her right now. It was decided, _she will get out of this situation_.

But then, she realized Mitsuru did something to her that paralyzed her body. _Ku-so_ _6_ _._

Mitsuru started touching her, and she did not like it any bit of it. She tried to swallow the panic building in her.

 _You need to calm down, Hinata,_ she talked to herself. _Stop and think. This is probably not a genjutsu, he won't use same tricks twice. So this is more likely a serum. He probably injected me when I was in the double genjutsu._

And not for the first time that day, she felt hopeless. She didn't want to drown out everything and just be a victim but things are not looking her way, she was numb all over and Mitsuru is so much of a sadist to feel more pleasure on her struggle.

 **1** **Kuro** is Japanese for black, I think. Sorry, I just Google Translate-d it.

 **2** **Opium** or opiumlatex contains approximately 12% of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which is processed chemically to produce heroin and other synthetic opioids for medicinal use and for the illegal drug trade. That's from Wikipedia. Basically it's something a person can be addicted to like weeds.

3I would like to clarify that Ai is supposed to be around 21 when the events happened and Mitsuru is around 28. Manaka was 25.

4 **Good with your hands** "the characteristic of a person who engages in irresistible sexual foreplay; good hands will turn on a person's partner well, skillfully, and with excellent knowledge (or guessing) of how the other person will react. This phrase refers to a satisfying or titillating encounter with someone who clearly has experience" - Grammarly

 **5** **Kunoichi Training** I think you all know what this could mean, but for those who are new, kunoichi means female ninja; therefore "female ninja training". Since men have this certain vulnerability when they come _undone_ , ninjas (kunoichis) tend to use this fact for more smart and effective way to complete missions; I would like to imagine that kunoichi training has lessons on **(a)** seduction—men tend to be easy to talk to when they need something, **(b)** subtle teasing—frustration alone can make a man undone, **(c)** "faking it"—be it about your reactions, feelings, words, to _it,_ **(d)** geisha training—undercover missions as geisha is very informative, **(e)** building the tension/mood, etc.

6 **Kuso** as you may or may not know, this is a curse word in Japanese, roughly translating to something like, "sh*t" in English. And I intentionally inserted a hyphen to highlight that she said that in her head emphasizing the syllables.

random716: It's short, I know. But I don't know how to stop. It would be too long if I continue after this scene. Thanks for reading my garbage!


End file.
